Foodie Pen Pals

Earlier this month, I discovered Foodie Pen Pals created by Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean. Basically, you sign up for the program and, kind of like drawing names for Christmas gifts, Lindsay emails a list of whose name you have for that month. With a budget of $15, your job is to create a foodie gift box for your pen pal.  You in turn receive one from someone else.  The possibilities are endless!

For my first time as a recipient, I was thrilled with my package from Nicole at Apples and Arteries.
As soon as I picked up the box, the scent of cinnamon was overpowering...in such a good way! I was excited before I even opened it. To my delight, Nicole had created "breakfast in a box".

The breakfast themed goodies inside were:

• Penzey's Cinnamon Sugar (a local spice manufacturer in Wisconsin)
• Dried apple slices from Oakwood Fruit Farm, her favorite local orchard
• Sven's Coffee (another local WI product)
• Bob's Red Mill apple, cinnamon and grain hot cereal
• Barney Butter almond butter
• Tazo passion tea
• Tazo refresh tea

 The first product up for use - the cinnamon sugar. My son had requested French toast for Saturday breakfast, so what a great way to try the cinnamon sugar.  It did not disappoint - we will definitely find ways to incorporate this gem into our spice rotation! The French toast recipe will be posted tomorrow for Midweek Munchies, so stay tuned!

I couldn't resist the apples and snuck one out of the package right away - so sweet and tender. Taking Nicole's suggestion, I used the remainder of the apples heated in the cereal.  Such a great, quick hot breakfast for a weekday morning.  I will be purchasing more of this, especially as fall rolls around.

I like almond butter but had never tried Barney Butter - love it! I had this as a snack with a fresh apple to add a sweet, protein packed punch to a workday afternoon.

Tazo passion tea is one of my favorite teas, along with their Zen green tea. (Thank you, Starbucks, for the introduction!) I had never tried the Refresh, but it was exactly that...refreshing! I made it iced, and as you know, Texas summers are swelteringly hot, so the minty tea provided great refreshment on a July afternoon.

I absolutely LOVE the Foodie Pen Pal program, and look forward to next month's.  Thank you, Lindsay for creating it! I can only hope that the recipient of my Louisiana themed package enjoys her goodies as much as I have enjoyed mine.  'Til next month...  :-)